Idaho Town Busted For Lowering Highway Speed To 25 MPH To Generate Renevue
The Idaho legislature last week gave final passage to a bill stripping small towns of their ability to lower highway speed limits to raise revenue. The measure sailed through the state House by a vote of 56-10 and by a 26-9 vote in the state Senate. The measure was enrolled by the House speaker yesterday and will be sent to Governor Butch Otter (R) for his signature.
Lawmakers were furious at the misuse of speed limits in cities such as Bellevue where the mayor dropped the speed limit on Highway 95 to 25 MPH within the city limits. This five-lane highway is not near any schools and has few pedestrians. State Representative Leon E. Smith (R-Twin Falls) testified that a local Bellevue official admitted the city earns about a third of its revenue from ticketing on that road at the reduced limit.
Smith's legislation deletes existing provisions of the law granting localities permission to lower speed limits on major state roads in their jurisdiction and hands it to the Idaho Department of Transportation. The bill also requires limits be established based on sound traffic engineering safety standards instead of political choices.
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